Ecomare

Seen on a global scale, the North Sea is a small marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, virtually shallow everywhere. Nevertheless, there are large differences between the various parts and the coasts. The northern North Sea, bordering the Shetland Islands, is relatively deep with rocky coasts. The southern North Sea, bordering the English Channel, is relatively shallow with sandy coasts. This is also where you find extensive muddy tidal regions, such as the Wadden Sea, the delta works and the Wash.